


Meet me at Maria

by tachibanafever



Series: A coffee shop cliche [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: College Student Eren Yeager, Fluff, Levi/Eren Yeager-centric, M/M, Minor Marco Bott/Jean Kirstein, Minor Reiner Braun/Bertolt Hoover, POV Eren Yeager, Student Eren Yeager
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-25
Updated: 2014-05-26
Packaged: 2018-01-13 16:50:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1233910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tachibanafever/pseuds/tachibanafever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ereri AU in which Eren is a student who meets an older guy (Levi) in a coffee shop. Basically just an indulgence of my love of this ship, and the vast possibilities that come with AUs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Queerklancing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queerklancing/gifts).



> I started out trying to write something for my friend's birthday, and then this happened... I've written from both Eren and Levi's POV. Levi's will be listed as a separate work, but in this collection. Lots of swearing, because I'm bad and very cheesey, because I'm sad, ya dig?
> 
> Levi's POV: http://archiveofourown.org/works/1233946

“Shit, I'm late” Eren noted as he checked the clock on his phone. He quickened his pace as he hastily shoved it back into his jeans pocket. He wasn't far from his destination, and he craved the warmth of his favourite little café. The cold was so bitter, it stung his bare skin, and he felt numbness pulsing through his being; trying to concentrate on the sensation he would feel with sweet sweet coffee running down his throat.  
Sighing, he rounded the final corner and then it was in sight. The sign read _'Maria'_ in a wonderfully graceful font, and the exterior was worn, but still pleasant looking.

As he opened the door, he almost forgot his current predicament as warmth from the heater threatened to engulf him; and he would have welcomed it. He closed his eyes, so as to fully enjoy this simple bliss, but was brought back to reality by a voice. It wasn't loud, and it didn't sound angry, but it instilled a certain fear in Eren that nothing else did.

“You're late” 

He gulped. “I'm sorry, Mikasa! Petra's seminar ran late, but I got here as fast as I could.”

The girl with straight black hair appeared to be chewing on her tongue.

“I guess you can't help that, but I'm sick of you being late for everything Eren. However, it's you that's going to suffer” she said with a smirk.

“Huh?”

Out of no where appeared Eren's best friend, Armin. He was twiddling his thumbs nervously.

“I tried to buy your coffee, but...” his voice trailed off as Mikasa gently placed her hand on his shoulder.  
“We agreed this would be the penalty, right Armin?”  
He seemed to find a bit more composure in Mikasa's touch, as he nodded firmly.  
“Yes, you were late, so you have to buy your own.” They smirked at one another and walked back over to their table where they held their cups up mockingly.  


Begrudgingly Eren joined the queue.

He knew exactly what he wanted, he had been craving it all day. A vanilla latte, yes, that was exactly what he needed after the day he'd had. He had slept in, got to his first lecture late, which caused Hanji to recap everything he had missed, much to the distaste of all of the other students, had almost gotten into another fist fight with Jean Kirschtein.  _'That horse faced fuck is lucky he has such a freckled saint of a boyfriend, or I would have snapped his neck'_ Eren thought to himself.

It was finally his turn, and just as he stepped forward he heard the bell indicating either the departure of a patron, or the arrival of one. Eren had long accepted that he was far too nosey for his own good, and started to place his order as he turned to inspect the person who had let in the cold.

“I'll have a- ummmmmm” he trailed off, and totally blanked. He had turned to look at the man who had entered as he had joined the queue behind him; and now he couldn't take his eyes off of him. _Damn._ This guy was hot, seriously hot. Eren couldn't tear his eyes away.

“Eren?” The girl behind the counter was a friend, sort of. He knew her through Marco (Jean's boyfriend) and he had to admit, she was the sweetest person he knew.

“Oh, um, I'll have a... shit what did I even come here for?” He had known just a moment ago, hadn't he? Exactly what he wanted... but now, all he could see was this guy. Those hooded grey eyes were burning into his mind and he couldn't even begin to recall what he wanted.  
“I'm sorry Eren, but there are other people waiting, would you like to try our special if you're stuck?” Eren silently thanked Christa for being so sweet, and he knew no other barista would treat him with such patience. He was starting to feel really embarrassed, knowing that the man behind him probably thought he was a total dork.  
“Christa” the interruption came from the back, and Eren rolled his eyes knowing exactly who it was, “stop being so damn polite. If he can't make up his mind, tell him to get to the back of the line.”

'Fuck you Ymir' he thought as he desperately scoured the menu without even reading it.

“Don't be so rude, Ymir” Christa hissed.

“I'm really sorry, I don't know what came over me” Eren felt the blush creep up on him, and he started to wish he had never turned around. Guys did not have this effect on him, he was Eren Jaeger and he could get any guy he wanted; this was fucking ridiculous.

“Could I just get the special?” he said. His voice had returned along with his confidence.

“Sure thing! Ymir, one hazelnut latte” she called.

He moved to the side to wait after paying for his drink, and silently thanking himself for sleeping in and missing his morning coffee, if he had not, he'd have had no money in his wallet, and would have looked even stupider in front of that guy. That mysterious looking, totally gorgeous, devil may care... man. Shit, how old was he? Eren groaned inwardly at the realisation that this guy was probably at least ten years his senior.  
“Welcome Sir, what would you like?” Eren was brought back by the sound of Christa attempting to take the man's order.

Before he could answer, Ymir came forward. Pretending not to see Eren, she called out “One hazelnut latte for a 'Mr Indecisive'.” The guy snorted, and Eren wanted to be swallowed up by the ground. _Fuck, he must think I'm such a loser._  
“Very funny” he snarled, snatching the drink out of Ymir's unnaturally large man hand. “You know that's why you have to work in the back, don't you Ymir? You're shitty with people”  
Spitting the words out like venom, he stalked away, huffing loudly as the annoyance built up in him. He couldn't believe that that freckled bitch had made him look even worse. At least he'd gotten the last word in.

  
Eren had barely gotten comfortable before Mikasa and Armin were probing him for answers.

“What took you so long?”

“Why is your face red?”  
“Why were you being pissy with Ymir?”

“What did you order? That isn't your usual”

“Guys shut the fuck up, he's coming” he said irritably.

Armin and Mikasa looked at each other, quirked their eyebrows and then looked in the direction of the counter. Approaching them was what could only be described as a short man who looked like he had an even shorter temper.

“Did that guy give you trouble?” Mikasa asked calmly as she made to get out of her seat.  
“No, no, nothing like that” Eren whispered urgently as he tried to pull her back down into her seat.

“Then what's his deal? Why do you care that he's coming this way?” Mikasa asked, as she sat back. Eren didn't answer, but he didn't need to; luckily Armin was extremely observant and logical.

“You like him.” was all the blonde said, before taking another slurp of his caramel frappuccino.

Eren's eyes widened, and his blush became prominent once more.

“What? No, don't be stupid Armin... the guy must be like thirty”

Armin quirked his eyebrow once more and smirked knowingly; nothing got past him.  
“Please. You're so obvious you may as well have his dick in your mouth.”

“ARMIN” Mikasa and Eren said in unison, utterly shocked that such a vulgar phrase had passed those sweet lips.

“You may be spending too much time with Jean, if phrases like that are slipping out.” Mikasa interjected “but please, tell me more about Eren's crush” she smirked before adding another sugar to her spiced vanilla latte. 

Eren eyed Armin with his best 'don't-you-fucking-dare' eyes, but Armin had long stopped being intimidated by them.  
“Okay, so there's the fact that your bright red... also, you have a drink you don't like, which indicates that you chose it on a whim. Either to prove a point, or because you were too frazzled to remember your order, and took the special as default. I'm assuming the latter, and I'm also assuming that it was that man's entrance that broke your concentration. And if all of that wasn't glaringly obvious enough, there is also the fact that you, just now, outright said 'he's coming' which insinuates that you don't want to be embarrassed while he's in the vicinity or that you don't want attention drawn to yourself. I'm guessing that's because you made a spectacle of yourself at the counter.”  
Armin took a long and triumphant slurp of his drink.

“Fuck you, Armin” Eren said, as he sunk now into his seat, and puffed out his cheeks in defeat. He quickly allowed them to deflate once he realised that he was sat facing the man whom Armin had just been talking about. He was sat at a table by himself, facing Eren. His eyes were on him now, and Eren couldn't help but return his gaze. He was trying to be inconspicuous but Eren knew that wasn't his forte, and if his luck was anything like usual, he was probably starting to piss the guy off.  


He simply couldn't take his eyes off the guy, he was stunning. The way his sharply cut black hair hung gracefully about eyebrows that were fine and detailed. His grey hooded eyes were fascinating, and he was extremely toned for a man of his stature. Eren was getting rather flustered, as whenever he looked at this guy, Armin or Mikasa would make a rude remark, or compare Eren to a stalker, which had him giggling like this was his first crush. He could the guy's patience waning as his eyebrows knitted together with annoyance as he stalked off to the rest room.

“I don't want to sound too obvious, but you could go talk to the guy you know” Armin suggested.

“Isn't that a little weird? Following a guy into a bathroom to talk to him?” Eren laughed

Shrugging, Mikasa picked up her things. “You're cute, you can get away with it” she laughed as she rummaged for her car keys. “Besides, if you're going to do it, you better hurry up, we're leaving soon.”

“But I just got here!” Eren whined  
“Armin and I have been here since seven, it's not my fault you have a weird timetable.”

“We'll wait in the car” Armin said cheerfully, as he and Mikasa walked to the door.

Eren was nervous; was he seriously going to do this? Was he going to walk into a café bathroom, to strike up a conversation with a man who looked slightly murderous, who, he reminded himself, might not even be interested in guys.

Oh well, he sighed deeply before making his way to the rest room.

“Here goes nothing.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren is ridiculously lame and follows Levi into the bathroom.

He stood in front of the door for a moment, still contemplating what he was about to do.

_Calm the fuck down, Jaeger._ He breathed in, and exhaled excruciatingly slowly. 

Pushing the door open, he was more than a little started by the sudden movement of the man he had come to approach. At the sound of the door opening he had stood bolt upright; which struck Eren as odd. This guy didn't look like he frightened easily, or at all for that matter.

Eren made for sink next to the one occupied by the black haired stranger. He muttered an apology in case he had startled him with his entrance.

He wasn't sure If it was because of his being there now, but the guy moved. He walked over to the paper towel dispenser and began drying his face. Eren's nerves were catching up with him by now, so he thought that maybe splashing his face would help him calm down.

That didn't go totally to plan, since he could see the short, and mysterious looking man in the mirrors reflection. Becoming extremely caught up in staring at this attractive stranger, Eren's next handful of water missed his face completely.

“Fuck!” he muttered, glowering and cursing his own stupidity. Then it struck him, like a knife through the heart; his pride totally wounded... the guy was laughing at him. His quite laughter rang in Eren's ears and he could feel his face heating up.

 

“You're a little absent minded, aren't you kid?”

It took Eren a little while to process the fact that  _he_ was actually speaking to him; and under such humiliating circumstances.

“Oh, I guess” he mumbled in reply. 

Much to Eren's surprise, he had grabbed a couple of paper towels and was now making his way over to where Eren stood. He held them out in front of him, and turned his face away from Eren's; which honestly made him feel a little awkward.

“Thanks” no matter how awkward he felt, he just couldn't fight the urge to gaze at this guy. There was something about him, something that made Eren curious. It wasn't just that he was ridiculously attractive; this guy knew things, and there were reasons for the stony coldness that dwelled within his gaze. He wasn't entirely sure why, but he wanted to know. He wanted to warm those cold eyes, and see them look alive. 

 

“Look kid, do you have a problem? You haven't stopped eyeing me since I walked in.” His voice didn't waver, but it didn't sound anywhere near as irritated as his words suggested.

_Fuck._ _ Do I tell him the truth? I'm probably going to get my jaw dislocated. Oh well... _

“No, no, no problem. Just a-, I, um, shit” _Real smooth Jaeger, grow the fuck up._

Their eyes met once more, Eren bit his lip as he surveyed the fine specimen that stood before him.

Apparently that answer wasn't good enough; the man quirked his eyebrow impatiently... Eren's inner turmoil threatened to get the better of him.  _ What the fuck do I do? _ But then he looked him dead in the eye. Who did this guy think he was? Looking at Eren like Eren should be scared? Please. 

“I think you're...” running his hand over his face in frustration. “I find you really attractive, okay? I'm sorry for staring” his voice becoming louder, showing no signs of fear, “ I just, fuck, I don't know.” he shrugged, and leaned back against the sink. 

 

Levi looked taken aback by Eren's confession, but not displeased. He swaggered forward, closing the distance between the two of them.

“Oh yeah?” he said, as he cupped Eren's jaw in his palm, roughly. Eren wasn't about to waver, he met those cold and telling eyes dead on.

“Yeah” he said with a smirk.

To his surprise, his captor was smirking too. His grip tightened around Eren's jaw, but like hell was he going to look weak.

“Confidence suits you, kid.” His voice was like velvet. Eren could get lost in his pronunciation, become forever enveloped in the vibration of every syllable against the bathroom tiles. This guy was cocky, just like him, and that admittedly (though pretty embarrassingly) kind of turned him on. 

“Stop calling me kid, you creepy old man” 

He was surprised by the response he got. The man was laughing. Those cold eyes creased in the corners; and suddenly they were... actually sort of inviting.

“You've got balls, I'll give you that. How old are you anyway, _kid?”_ Despite his mockery, Eren couldn't help but feel a shiver down his spine. 

He shrugged. “Twenty”. He knew he must be considerably younger than the man before him, but by this point, he didn't really care.

“And your name, it's Eren right?” The hand around Eren's jaw never wavered.

“Yeah”

“I'm Levi” his voice was softer now, as he leaned his face in, closer and closer until... _yes! He's kissing me! Kiss him back you idiot..._ The kiss was rough, and anything but typical. In Eren's mind, a first kiss didn't need to be slow, or thoughtful, it needed to be real, raw even. The sheer rush of adrenaline he felt coursing through his body told him that he desperately needed more. Their mouths crashed against each other's, and their teeth clanked occasionally. It certainly wasn't graceful, but it was passionate. He felt Levi's tongue swipe over his bottom lip, and he let out a tiny moan, much to his own embarrassment. When they finally parted, Eren sunk back against the sink unit, and panted gently. Levi stood there, smiling... _wait, what?_ Actually smiling. He wasn't sure what it was about this guy, but every second he was being drawn in further and further. He couldn't just let him leave.

 

“Hey... Levi?” his confidence returning, as the image of Levi kissing him, his hands still rough on his jaw blurred his vision. “Could I get your number?”

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren and Levi text each other...

_Hey, are you okay? You look pretty low. Very handsome, awkward. Do you feel okay? You look petty low. Very handsome, awkward..._

 

Eren fell backwards onto his bed, after such a long day the envelopment of the mattress was truly inviting. His Ipod by his side, and his phone in his hand, he lay there for a while, wondering if it was too soon to text Levi.

 

_...Your dream vacation, smile hostage refuge. A work in progress, you bleed just like you puke while running a mile..._

 

It had been two days since their 'encounter' at the coffee shop, and Eren was amazed he had lasted this long. He had been dying to text him the moment he'd gotten home that night.

“Wait a few days” Armin had said. “You don't want to seem too eager” Mikasa had said. He sighed. 

_Fuck it._

 

**To: Levi  
Hey, this is Eren... from the coffee shop. I hope you remember me, or I'm going to feel stupid, haha.**

 

He let out a huge puff of air, and felt _ wait, what? Nervous?  _ That was a feeling that seldom phased Eren Jaeger; but this guy seemed to be an exception.

 

_...You're quiet on the car ride home, you're waiting for your head to explode. You're hiding in your safe place hiding in your safe place, hiding with your eyes shut tightly all the way to the hospital..._

 

Eren had closed his eyes and was trying to relax, by the time another song had passed his phone was vibrating. He jumped slightly, and was hesitant to check the reply.

_ 'Probably Mikasa'  _ he muttered as he swiped the lock-screen.

 

**From: Levi  
Of course I remember, shit head. Do you think I give my number out to anyone who fucking asks?**

 

Eren couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't exactly a pleasant response, but he hadn't really expected such. It did however, and rather embarrassingly, make his heart flutter.  _ Do you think I give my number out to anyone? _ That smooth as silk voice rippled through his mind...  _ Levi must actually be interested.  _ He wasn't sure why this surprised him so much... to be fair, the guy had kissed him already.

 

**To: Levi  
I guess not, and here I was thinking you made a habit of kissing younger guys after 5 minutes of knowing them.**

 

The reply came quicker this time, and Eren was feeling hazy. It made him happy; to be able to talk to someone like this. It was different... people he had been interested in in the past hadn't appreciated his vulgarity, or his cockiness... Levi matched it, and that was one of the things he now found irrefutably attractive about the man.

 

**From: Levi  
Of course. And you, do you make a habit of following older men into bathrooms?**

 

Eren laughed again.  _ That was kind of creepy actually.  _ His mattress felt more welcoming as he wriggled to readjust. 

 

**To: Levi  
Only if they're cute enough. Anyway, how've you been?**

 

Eren put his phone to the side, and began flicking through his Ipod.  _ What to listen to, what to listen to...  _ Settling on an old favourite, he placed his Ipod back on the bed, and retrieved his phone; staring at it intently as if willing a reply to appear.

 

_...And you're someone who knows someone who knows someone I once knew and I just want to be a part of this..._

 

Eren sighed. He hadn't expected Levi to be a fast replier. For one thing, he was a little too old to be assumed a 'fast texter' and secondly, he was actually an adult. That meant he had responsibilities, a job, a house/apartment etc... he couldn't spend every second glued to his phone like Eren did.

 

**From: Levi  
Can't complain, I've been worse. How about you?**

 

Hmm. How had Eren been? Giddy, excitable, cheerful? All of these were accurate; much to the surprise of his friends.

“You look far too happy” Armin had surmised the day after Eren had met Levi at Maria. “Did he suck you off in one of the stalls?”

“Armin!” Mikasa had shouted! “You've been getting more and more vulgar lately. Will you give it a rest?” Armin had pouted apologetically, but as soon as Mikasa wasn't looking, he had been making some rather unsavoury gestures with his tongue pushing against the inside of his mouth.  
Eren laughed as he recalled the memory. Everyone they knew thought that Armin was extremely sweet- which he was; however few knew of the dark and vulgar interior that lay not far beneath his innocent demeanour. _You really are a little shit, Armin._

 

**To: Levi  
Not bad. University has been pretty hectic, but it's all good.**

 

The reply had felt unsatisfactory even as he had typed it. The truth was, he didn't know an awful lot about Levi, and vice versa... that limited the scope for conversation as far as Eren was concerned. He wanted to know more, wanted to know everything, about the man who he had not stopped thinking about since Monday.

 

**From: Levi  
Oh, you're at university? That's interesting. But that reminds me, we know shit all about each other. Let me know if this is too forward, but do you maybe want to grab a coffee sometime?**

 

Eren's heart was aflutter once more. Levi was interested in getting to know him too. He wasn't entirely sure why this surprised him, but he was happy non-the-less.

His reply, admittedly, may have been embarrassingly quick.

 

**To: Levi**

**Too forward? Coming from you, haha. Sure, I'd be up for that. When are you free? I'm free all week.**

 

The next reply he got was the last one before they met again, but it was enough. He would look at it often between that night and their 'date'.

 

**From: Levi**

**Great. Friday? 6.30? Meet me at Maria.**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs used in this chapter:  
> The Used- Pretty handsome awkward & Liar Liar  
> Fall out boy- Hum Hallelujah


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm going to try to update this every Sunday, I hope that's okay.

**11.30 AM**

***Alarm beeping repeatedly***

**  
** “Ughhhhhh” Eren groaned as he made to turn his alarm off. There was nothing he disliked more than waking up; absolutely nothing. The sound his alarm made gave him murderous thoughts, and every morning it sounded, like a relentless sick joke. Eren had long since given up trying to use music as his alarm tone. It just made him resent the song, and associate it with the homicidal tendencies waking up induced.  
He was just about to roll over and pretend he didn't have classes that day, but then it struck him... _ It's Friday.  _ Eren very nearly jumped out of his bed and for once, he was actually smiling. It was embarrassing, he thought, to be so giddy over a coffee date with a guy he barely knew, but that didn't stop him smiling, nor did it stop him tapping his foot and bouncing his right leg all day in anticipation. 

 

By the time Eren had gotten ready and made his coffee, it was noon. Armin would be down in a minute, and they would walk together, to their respective classes like they did every Friday. Being a student, Eren lived with five other guys. They each had their separate bedroom, but they shared bathrooms, the kitchen and living space. He didn't mind too much, except when Jean came over. One of his flatmates was Marco Bodt; Jean's extremely sweet, but clearly  _ (in Eren's view)  _ very desperate boyfriend.  _ He must not think a lot of himself if he'd settle for that guy. Tch, Marco can do better.  _ His room was opposite Armin's, which was his favourite thing about the entire situation. They had asked to be housed together when they had applied for the same university. Mikasa had lived with them last year, but now, in her final year, she was sharing a private student house with a girl named Annie. Two of the other rooms were taken up by two boys named Reiner Braun and Bertholdt Fubar. In Eren's opinion, they didn't really need a room each. They were practically inseparable... and not in the way he and Armin were. The thin walls and loud moans had made that much clear. It had always amused Eren that there could be such a 'high concentration of gay'  _ (as he called it) _ under one roof. Before he had started university, he had been sure he wouldn't meet many other openly gay guys; but low and behold, here he was, in his second year as an

undergraduate, living with 5 other guys, 3 of whom were openly gay.  _ Coincidence is a funny thing. _

The last room belonged to a short and energetic guy named Connie. Eren really liked Connie, and got along with him really well.  _ 'It's a shame you're straight'  _ he always teased Connie with a wink.

 

“Are you ready to go?” Armin chirped as he entered the kitchen area. It had always baffled Eren as to how Armin always looked so happy when faced with the prospect of going to class. It also baffled Eren as to how Armin always looked so 'put together' and yet casual. Armin was Eren's best friend, and although he wasn't attracted to him like that, he couldn't deny that Armin was incredibly attractive. He had large blue eyes that rivalled the magnificence of Christa's, and blonde hair just above his shoulders. He had a fringe, and behind his bangs, half of his hair was tied up. He often wore tight shirts, that were rolled up at the sleeves, with skinny jeans so tight they left nothing to the imagination. His converse were always immaculately clean and his smile was always just as bright. A lot of girls around campus thought Armin was adorable, and they were right... _it's a shame none of them realise he's such a little asshole._ Eren snorted in regard to his own appearance and how he must look compared to his friend. Eren had also gone for skinny jeans, black ones with a hole in the left knee. His converse were red, and showed visible signs of being worn to death... they were his favourites after all. On his upper section, he wore only a t-shirt. It was a little big for him, but that's what made it so comfy. It was white, with 'Red Hot Chilli Peppers' written around the band logo in the centre. His hair was off centre, but only just; he hadn't even brushed it today. _As long as I look good when I meet Levi, what does it matter? I'm not trying to impress Hannes._ That last note made him snigger. _Yeah, that'll be the day._

 

He sat through Hannes's seminar on Social Darwinism, staring at the clock and willing it to move faster. He hadn't taken in a single word that was spoken.

By the time 2pm rolled around, he was sitting in the café area with his friends. Admittedly, even their rather amusing escapades of the night before were not enough to hold his attention for long. He could think only of how long he would need to get ready for his date. What would he and Levi talk about? Would Levi still be interested once he got to know him? Would he still like Levi?

“Eren”

“Huh?”

It was Jean who spoke, much to Eren's disdain.

“Do you have a partner for the group presentations in POL211?”

It took Eren a few seconds to figure out what Jean was talking about, since Jean wasn't a politics student.

“No, not yet. Why are you taking that class anyway? I thought you were a history student.”

“I am, but we had to take at least one politics module this term. I thought maybe we could work together, I don't really know what I'm doing, so I'd appreciate it.” Jean smiled, but it was an unnatural and forced smile. The kind that told Eren that this had been Marco's suggestion.

“No way, Kirschtein. Like I'd help you.”

“Oh, well that's a shame” Jean smirked knowingly, “because I just so happen to know that you're taking a history module next semester, and I was going to offer to help you with that in return.”

Eren sighed.  _ Fuck. _

“Okay, okay. You got a deal.”

 

The rest of the day passed by, and Eren was mostly uninterested by everything that happened. When his last seminar ended at 5pm, Eren dashed back to his flat without stopping or saying good bye to anyone. As soon as he got home, he hurriedly greeted Bertholdt, who was cooking what smelled like Lasagne, before running to his room. He threw his rucksack onto his bed, and grabbed his shabby grey towel off the radiator. The shower he shared with his fellows, was really just a small wet room, but Eren didn't mind. It was never cold in there, and it didn't matter if you got the walls wet... it could be worse. After a rather hasty shower, Eren made sure to dry his hair with a lot more care than usual.

Now dry, he was pacing the space by his wardrobe, with his towel around his waist. Armin was sitting, cross legged, on his bed consulting him on what to wear. Eren pulled out a button up and gestured to it while raising his eyebrows in contemplation.

“You're meeting at a coffee shop, not a restaurant” Armin laughed, rousing a scowl from Eren as he angrily hung the shirt in its place.

“When was the last time you went on a date, genius?” he snarled. He wasn't really mad at Armin, he was just feeling edgy. He hated to admit that he was nervous.

Armin laughed. “Well it's been a while. Girls used to ask me out quite a lot, but everyone thinks we're together so I'm not quite as popular as when we were freshers.”

This settled Eren's nerves a little, and made him laugh too.  _ Poor Armin.  _ He decided on a pair of skinny jeans that weren't ripped, and also weren't his. Armin had insisted that he lend a pair of his... all of Eren's jeans were either ripped, scruffy looking or hanging out of his overflowing wash basket. He wore black converse, which showed fewer signs of rough usage than the red, and a plain white tee. It was tight, and admittedly looked very good on him.

 

“Okay, I'm ready.”

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop date!

When Eren arrived at Maria that night, he felt the same wave of warmth wash over him that had welcomed him the day he had met Levi. He made his way over to a booth towards the back of the café, and made sure it was a spot where Levi would spot him upon entering. He wasn't sure how he was feeling; was this dread?, excitement?, nervousness?, anticipation? Eren couldn't be sure; it was as if the emotions were intermixing within him, causing him to feel nauseous. _Is this what they call butterflies? Ew, gross._ Eren wasn't overly keen on the idea of another man being able to make him feel like this, to have his stomach in knots without even being there. _That's some talent, Levi.  
_ Not only was he not overly fond of it, it confused him. He barely knew the man, the pair had shared a handful of text messages and one extremely heated kiss. _Wait, maybe that's it!_ Eren recalled Levi's entrance into the coffee shop earlier that week. Had it not partly been his mysterious and seemingly nonchalant demeanour that had drawn Eren to him? Those hooded and apparently cold eyes, the eyes that gave a glint of life in a heated moment? The curiosity Eren had felt when he saw Levi had not been relinquished by their encounter, if anything, it had only made it stronger. Eren no longer had time to dwell on his reasons for being so nervous, as at that moment, the bell on the door rang, and in strolled Levi. He may not have been tall, but he didn't need to be; the man certainly had presence. His heavily lidded eyes looked perfectly bored, and his hair was just as it had been that night; sleek, straight and (as far as Eren was concerned), begging to have his fingers ran through it. His white shirt was tight to his perfectly toned torso, and his jeans clung to his legs as if they had been painted on. He was a picture. He spotted Eren and made for the booth; Eren assumed it was unintentional, or maybe he was seeing things, but now Levi didn't look quite so bored.

 

“Eren, how's it going?” His voice sent shivers up Eren's spine. It was smooth, and unwavering. If he was also nervous, he showed no signs of it.

“Uh, hey Levi. Can't complain, how've you been?”

They carried on making pleasantries for some time more, and Eren couldn't help but smile. Clearly small talk was not one of Levi's fortes, but he was trying and that was more than enough.

“I'm gonna get a coffee, would you like one?” Levi asked, standing up, and straightening his coat out on the back of his chair.

“Yes please, hang on, I'll give you the money.” Eren made to rummage through his pocket for his wallet but was disrupted as Levi held his hand up in protest.

“No, this is kind of a date so you don't have to give me money.” Levi's smile was small, but evident. His eyes showed signs of amusement, and Eren found the sight utterly endearing. His cheeks were flushed, but only slightly, Eren kept this information to himself.

“Hey Princess, stop day dreaming, I said you don't have to pay, but you still need to tell me what you want... Or will it be another special for Mr Indecisive?” The creases that lined Levi's eyes became evident, as Eren caught a glimpse of a brief but beautiful open-mouthed smile. The sight made it hard for Eren to react to Levi's dig. He made something between a smirk and a scowl, before giving in.

“Vanilla latte, please”

Levi nodded in acknowledgement before heading to the counter. Eren watched him leave, and felt a blush creeping over his cheeks. He smiled to himself, and thought about the night so far. Levi's voice resounding in his head.  _'this is kind of a date'_ He was sure Levi wouldn't be pleased about it, but he thought he was pretty cute...though not in a conventional way. Not how other people were cute, like Christa, or Marco. The kind of cute that was made up of everything they were. Sweet, endearing, innocent and pleasant. Levi was more like a tiger. Breathtakingly beautiful, and vulnerable and harmless if you caught it at the right moment, but still, you would always be treading on egg shells. This didn't bother him, he liked this about Levi, come to think of it, so far he liked everything about Levi. He could see others finding him intimidating, unapproachable, or unpleasant even. He was rude, blunt and cocky; and Eren wouldn't want him any other way. It was refreshing, he felt, to be able to be himself for once. With other guys, Eren had always had to tone down his cocky attitude, stop himself from swearing... not with Levi, no, if anything, Levi was worse.

 

“Oi, what are you smiling to yourself for? You look like an idiot.”

That brought him back to a blunt and embarrassing reality. He glowered at his date, only half seriously, before taking his latte and thanking Levi.

“I'm joking, you actually look pretty cute. What were you thinking about?” 

“Nothing really, I'm just... having a good night. I like talking to you.” Eren hated how stupid it sounded, and was inwardly cringing after the sentence had left his mouth.  
Apparently Levi didn't think so, his small smile resurfaced. No teeth were shown this time, but that didn't make it any less remarkable in Eren's eyes.

“I like talking to you too, even if you are a bit of a dork. That's twice you've zoned out now”

“Hey!” said Eren “You're the one wearing a shirt to a coffee shop, don't call me a dork”

Levi laughed. “I always wear shirts, they look good on me.” Boy was he right, that shirt fit him like it was a part of him. His arms bulged temptingly, and Eren couldn't help but nod. He liked Levi's confidence; he'd always been told not to be so full of himself. The world is a shitty place, Eren thought. You're criticised for praising yourself, and you're criticised for criticising yourself, you can't win, so don't try.

“Yeah” Eren smiled “You really do.”

“Thanks” Levi gave Eren another flash of his 'rare' and wonderful smile. It was becoming more frequent, and that just made Eren want to see it more. He wanted to make Levi smile.

“So Eren, what do you study? Tell me about yourself”

 

This went on for a while, just talking, and laughing. They made playful digs at one another, and were genuinely interested in learning what they could about the other. Eren was beginning to understand more and more that he and Levi got along extremely well, and why. They had similar personalities in some ways; cocky, confidence, vulgar, and a terrible sense of humour. They shared interests too it seems, or some at least. He was determined to find out as much as he could, he

never wanted Levi to shut up. Every line the man spoke was fascinating but Eren knew if he was having the same conversation with anyone else he would probably be falling asleep. So far he had found out that Levi was 34. He was a lawyer, who worked for a small yet prestigious firm and lived alone, in an apartment towards the South of the district. He had studied Law and History at university, and his favourite band (some what surprisingly) was Iron Maiden. Eren liked Maiden, and he guessed it made sense that Levi would too, he had listened to them growing up and their music, as far as both Eren and Levi were concerned, was timeless. He had really great taste in music, Eren thought. He liked bands Eren would never have guessed. The Used, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Stone Roses, and The Killers; Eren was impressed. He and Levi also had similar taste in movies; silently he wondered what it would be like to watch a movie with Levi. Not at the cinema, but in his apartment, or Eren's flat... would he be the type to snuggle? Eren snorted.

“Something funny?” Levi quirked his eyebrow, but his expression belied him.

“No, no, I'm sorry, what were you saying?” 

 

They talked and talked, about anything and everything. Absorbing facts about one another, and enjoying every second that they spent in the others company. By 9PM, they had drank about 5 cups each, along with some really great cheese cake. It was vanilla, and was garnished with grated chocolate; delicious. Levi checked the clock on his phone, and frowned down at it, as if it had chosen the time deliberately.

“I should probably get going, I have to be up early. There's a lot of paperwork to prepare for my next case”

Eren nodded, and drained the last of his hot chocolate; he had given up on coffee 3 cups ago. Standing, and thanking Christa as he left, he found himself stood outside Maria with Levi.

“I had a great time, thanks Levi”

Levi smiled. “Me too”

He looked a little conflicted, but moved towards Eren anyway; he planted a brief and promising kiss on Eren's lips, before moving his mouth to his ear.

“Text me” his voice was quieter than usual but not quite a whisper. It made Eren tingle, and the sensation was not unpleasant. Eren nodded and Levi turned to walk away.

“Good night, Eren” Levi said.

“Good night, Levi.”

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late night phone call, and an inappropriate dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: nothing too explicit, but this chapter involves minimal sexual content.

“Uh, Le- Levi!” Eren gasped, as his hips bucked recklessly against the man atop his body. A hand was curled around his erection, pumping it gently, while swiping a thumb over the glistening head...

_vibration_

Eren jerked awake at the sound of his phone vibrating harshly against the wood of his bed stand. He was confused, why was he alone? Wasn't Levi- Oh wait,  _ fuck.  _ Pulling back the covers, he stretched the front of his pyjama pants to confirm his suspicions.  _ This can not be happening.  _

Groaning loudly in frustration and disbelief of his lack of self control, Eren shuffled out of his bed and made his way to his sink.

After cleaning himself up and traipsing back to his warm bed, Eren recalled what it had been that had woken him. Pressing the button on his phone to make the screen light up, he noted the time.  _ 1.45A.M.  _ He can't have been asleep for too long... but who would be texting him at this hour? All the boys in his flat were in bed, or out, and Mikasa was never awake this late. Unless...

**1 new message**

**From: Levi  
Hey brat, are you awake? Sorry if I've woke you.**

 

Why was Levi texting him at this time? Didn't he have to be up early? It was Sunday night, and he was pretty certain that Levi had an important case starting the next day.

**To: Levi**

**Hey, sorry for the late reply. I was asleep. Just woke up, what's up?**

 

Eren had barely placed his phone down on the night stand and crawled under his duvet when his phone vibrated again.

**From: Levi  
Shit, I'm sorry. I thought young people stayed up until all hours doing god knows what. I can't sleep.**

 

Eren snorted. Levi wasn't wrong; most of the people Eren knew did stay out until the early hours of the morning, drinking usually. If he remembered correctly, it was just Reiner and Connie from his flat, that were out tonight. Bertholdt, Marco and Armin had all insisted that they had class prep to do, and Eren was just lazy.  _ Who wants to go out on a Sunday? _

**To: Levi  
You're not wrong, but I don't tend to go out on Sundays. Don't you have an important case starting tomorrow? Tut tut tut.**

Eren was never going to admit what he had been dreaming about, but there was something about talking to Levi not 5 minutes after it had happened that caused him to feel a little guilty. He tried to shake the feeling- it was far too early, or too late, whatever, to deal with right now. Eren kept his phone in his hand, and made himself comfortable.

 

**From: Levi**

**Oh, my bad. Don't tut at me, you little shit. It's not until the afternoon now, it's been postponed a few hours. I would ask you to entertain me, but your competence at this hour is probably questionable.**

Was that a challenge? There was no way Eren was going to let that slide. Without even thinking, he clicked the call button on Levi's contact page and rolled onto his back.

It rang about 6 times.

 

_L: Hello?_

_E: Levi, hey!_

_L: Why are you calling me?_

_E: You doubted my competence. What's up? Any reason you can't sleep?_

_L: No, it's just like that sometimes. Sometimes I can sleep like a log, other nights I don't sleep a wink._

Levi sighed as he said this. He was definitely tired, Eren could hear it in his voice. His usually smooth and unwavering voice was laced with exhaustion. A roughness wrapped around his voice, it sounded a little hoarse, and Eren was ashamed to learn he found it pretty sexy.

_E: You sound pretty tired._

_L: I'm fucking exhausted. I've been trying to get to sleep since 9PM._

_E: Woah, watch it, that sounds a little too wild for a Sunday night._

_L: Suck my dick, brat._

_E: Gladly._

_L:_

_E:_

_L:_

…

Fuck. His mind still not fully awake, Eren groaned into his pillow at the realisation that he had actually said that aloud.  _ I wasn't supposed to actually say it... _ Eren considered hanging up, he was utterly mortified- but being Eren, he couldn't help but also find it kind of funny.

 

_L: I beg your pardon?_

_E: You heard me._

Eren cringed as he said it- he was still embarrassed, but trying to go back over would just make it worse, all he could do was hope Levi wouldn't think he was too weird. He was sure he heard Levi hum triumphantly.

_L: Watch it kid, you're getting awfully close to turning me on._

_E: Is that bad?_

_L: Right now? You fucking bet it is. Now talk to me about something else- I don't want a fucking stiffy digging in to me while I'm trying to sleep._

 

That made Eren giddy. The thought that he could make Levi feel like that was overwhelming and completely thrilling. With remorse for the loss of Levi's possible arousal, Eren decided to oblige him and change the subject; he didn't want to push his luck- not yet anyway.

 

_E: Why was your meeting postponed?_

_L: Our client is a fucking imbecile. He thinks he's so fucking safe, no one can touch him- so he's dicking around and taking the piss. Cancelling meetings, postponing meetings like he hasn't got a care in the shitting world. You wouldn't think he was possibly facing a hefty jail sentence as well as pay outs of more money than you can even imagine. Wanker._

_ E: Are you allowed to be telling me this?  _ [Chuckling softly] _ You know, client confidentiality and all that? _

_L: Well, are you planning to tell anyone?_

_E: ...no_

_L: Then there isn't a problem is there, shit for brains._

Eren laughed. He liked how harsh Levi was, at least he knew he would never have to hold back.

_E: Oh Levi, you're such a nice guy. I'm swooning._

_L: You will be._

That earned a smile from Eren. He may have been joking, but he definitely liked Levi a lot and Levi's words had butterflies stirring in his stomach.

 

_L: Oi, kid. You better not be smiling like an idiot again._

_E: I am not! … What did you do today?_

_L: Not a lot. I went over the facts of the case for the fiftieth time this morning, and read for a while this afternoon after dinner. It's an exciting life, I know. My friend invited me round to her place for dinner, but I would rather eat dog food than anything cooked by Hanji._

_E: Hanji...Zoe?_

_L: You know her?_

_E: She's one of my professors. She teaches my class on our local laws and political parties._

_L: Oh, so you're at Trost? Poor you for getting lumbered with ol' shitty glasses._

_ E:  _ [laughing]  _ I actually quite like Professor Hanji. She comes on a little strong for 9AM, but at least she's always in a good mood.  _

_L: Yeah, I can imagine. She comes on a little strong at any time of the day, but she's an interesting woman. Oh, I forgot to ask... What are you doing on Wednesday after your classes?_

Eren's heart practically leapt out of his chest.  _ He actually wants to see me again. _ It was confusing as to why this surprised Eren so much, but part of him thought that Levi, in all his vulgar glory, was unattainable- to someone like Eren at least.

_E: Nothing, why?_

_L: Why do you think, princess? I want to take you out._

 

A blush crept over Eren's cheeks, heating his face.  _ I wish he'd stop giving me such shitty nicknames. _ Of course Eren told himself he didn't like them- but really, he thought they were pretty funny... Princess was anyway. Kid and brat were sort of endearing, in a twisted and skewed way that fit Levi perfectly.

_E: I'd like that._

__ L: Of course you would. Listen, I'm going now... you're boring ass has actually managed to tire me out. Text me your address, I'll pick you up at 7. Don't eat, we're going for dinner, and try to wear something without holes.   
  
Eren never got the chance to reply, Levi had already hung up. He snuggled into his quilt and sighed with satisfaction, he had another date with Levi. It didn't take Eren long to fall asleep, he slept soundly, with his stupid grin plastered across his face.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Incase anyone is wondering, with regard to suggestions that Eren goes out drinking with his friends, sexual suggestions etc, I am from the UK, and I have based legal ages on the ones I abide by.
> 
> The age of consent here is 16 and the age at which you may purchase and publicly consume alcohol is 18.  
> All of the characters (with the exception of Levi, Hanji, Erwin etc) are aged 20+
> 
> Thanks for reading c:


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry this took so long to post... my negligence can only be justified by petty excuses.

Monday and Tuesday went by the way they usually do... far too much coffee, far too many arguments with horse face, and not enough sleep.

Armin was the usual wake up call on a Monday morning. 9 A.M Sharp, there would be brisk knocks against the wooden door. “Eren” he would shout, sounding far too perky, “It's time to get up”.  
He never left until he heard the aggravated mumble that was Eren's morning greeting.

“'M up, 'm up, f' fuck sake” Only then would Eren hear Armin's foot steps leaving his doorway. 

 

With a little too much caffeine in his system and not enough patience, Eren's Monday went along

without much to speak about. His classes were about as riveting as ever. No matter how enthusiastic Hanji was, Eren was never going to find the effects of pressure groups interesting.. After 3 hours of local political hell, it was finally lunch time. Settling for tomato and mascarpone pasta in the overpriced university café he made to sit with Connie; who was currently making as much of a mess as he possibly could with his toastie. Crumbs littered the table, and Connie's cheeks looked like he was storing nuts for the winter.

“Eren!” he called cheerfully as Eren pulled his chair out. “'s it goin'?” he said, his mouth full to the brim. 

“I beg your pardon?” Eren said with a smirk. 

They were joined shortly by Marco and Armin, who looked positively civil with their salad boxes and sandwiches, compared to Connie, who was now wolfing down a second toastie. Crumbs accumulating to pile in front of him.

 

His classes were finished for the day by 2 pm, after a rather despairing seminar where Hannes had placed him into an oral presentation group with Thomas Wagner. He sat in the library with Armin until the sight of books made his eyes want to bleed, it was 5pm by the time he left.

Heading back to his flat, Eren swung his headphones over his ears and lost himself in the music, ignoring the cold wind whipping and billowing around him violently.

He returned home, throwing his bag down onto the sofa like thing in the communal area, before falling down beside it with a heavy sigh.

 

“Eren” he heard a cheerful voice boom from the kitchen area. _Why does everyone sound so damn happy today?_ He mused- making him realise he was being a grumpy ass hat.

It was Reiner. He was loud and blonde and fabulous. Everything about him screamed confidence and competence- he was a good guy and everyone knew it. No one had anything bad to say about Reiner.

“Lasagne?” he asked, holding up a tray that he had been pouring over when Eren had entered the room.

“Sure” Eren shrugged. He had been planning on eating the cold pizza in his room left over from the night before. 

“Be about 40 minutes” Reiner said as he slammed the oven door shut, and made to remove his baby pink oven mitts. 

The docking station (which belonged to Connie, but was used communally) currently housed Reiner's ipod, which was playing some weird song Eren had never heard.  _ How many times can one song say booty?  _

 

His presence had gone mainly unnoticed until now, but as Eren looked up in hope of surveying Reiner's famous dance moves, he saw something better.

“R-Reiner- please” Bertholdt stammered. Reiner had set a hand against Bertholdt's waist from behind and was using the other to spank him gently in time with the music- singing ' _Get it ripe, get it right, get it tight'_ repeating the phrase a couple of times until Bertholdt looked like he was praying for the ground to swallow him up. Eren stifled a laugh... _This is perfect._

Reiner pulled Bertholdt into him, still behind him with his arms enveloping him now. Tenderly kissing his cheek, he whispered “love you Bertl”.

Bertl pulled away in his flustered state and went back to washing up all of the pots and dishes Reiner had used. After a moment or two Eren heard a gentle and embarrassed voice, “I love you too, Rei Rei”.

He turned away then, having felt bad for intruding on something so personal, but couldn't help but smile. He was happy for my friends- they were both wonderful people and they deserved each other.

 

The lasagne was amazing, god damn the man could cook. Eren helped Bertholdt clean the kitchen, and made his way to his room. He opened his laptop with the intention of doing some class prep for tomorrow but found himself on facebook.  _ Ughhhhh, this is mind numbing.  _ Closing the tab, he began surfing the web for anything and everything that wasn't related to tomorrows lecture. 1.30 A.M and Eren was on youtube listening to that song Reiner had had on in the kitchen. He simultaneously hated and loved it.  _ Well that's enough internet for today _ . He closed his laptop and made his way to his bed.

 

Stripping himself of his clothes, he wrapped himself in his quilt and snatched up his phone from the side table and began hastily typing out a text before becoming to enveloped by the warmth of his bed.

 

**To: Levi  
Hey, I'm going to bed now. I just wanted to say good night- I hope your day was good, and I hope your client didn't piss you off too much.**

 

Sleep was holding its arms out for him now, he was almost there too, until the sound of his phone vibrating against the wood had him jerking up.

With heavy eyes, he opened the message-

 

**From: Levi**

**I've had better, I've had worse. The guy is a fucking dicksquirrel, of course he pissed me off. Thank you for asking though, I hope you had a good day. Good night, Eren.**

 

He felt a giddy jolt in his abdomen.  _ He called me Eren.  _ Not brat, not kid, and (thankfully) not princess. He smiled to himself, taking the time to laugh inwardly at Levi's colourful vocabulary. Sleep took him soon after.

 

\-----------------------------------------------

 

Tuesday morning was dark, and the rain hammering against the window made his bed and the warmth it held all the more welcoming.  _ I'm staying in bed, fuck it.  _ He missed his first class. He still felt like trash when he awoke at 11.30...  _ Still an hour until Petra's class... I can make it.  _ His attendance was bad enough without missing more classes because he was constantly pissed off.

After a hasty shower, Eren dressed warmly and headed for his lecture. Upon arrival, he was greeted by the disdainful grimace that had settled on Jean's face- which did nothing to help his already foul mood. Petra was rambling on about Max Weber and the protestant work ethic which was mildly interesting until the seminar discussion. He and Jean didn't dislike each other. They were friends, but they fought constantly on anything and everything- how they remained friends no one knew, especially when a week did not go by without one sucker punching the other.

“How is that even relevant?”

“What?! I'm just saying!” Jean spat back

“You're just making it more complicated than it needs to be!” Eren said, his voice steadily rising.

The air in the room was tense, and Eren could feel every person in that classroom simultaneously thinking  _ this again? _ But he didn't care... all that mattered was putting Jean in his place.

He was the politics student, not Jean. Jean was here because it was a course requirement, and it pissed Eren off to have Jean spouting out intelligent bullshit that Eren hadn't thought of. He convinced himself that Jean did this purposely to make him look bad. He had started babbling about the ways in which this Weber principle could be compared to Karl Marx's Alienation of Labour.  _ Why didn't I see the link? _ He thought- fighting Jean even when he knew he was right. 

He didn't have time to say anything else. Petra was standing now, small but intimidating.

“Sit down, both of you” she said- not sounding angry... but Eren knew better than to wait and find out what would happen if he didn't.

 

His temper calmed down after dinner, and his temperament was somewhat pleasant for the rest of the day. He was never agreeable before 2pm.

The rest of the day was seemingly uneventful, so I won't bore you with the detail. Somewhere between arguing with Jean and a few texts from Levi, the day had been relatively satisfactory- it ended the way it started, with Eren curling into the warmth of his mattress, lulled to sleep by the rain hammering on the window.

 

**From: Levi:  
Good night sleeping beauty, see you tomorrow. **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Currently working on Levi's next chapter, I'll try to be more frequent now I'm on summer vacation!


End file.
